The FDA have now approved a powerful combination of Mekinist and Tafinlar after completing the administration's accelerated approval program. Both drugs are effective inhibitors of cancer activity in clinical trials.

Researchers at Moffitt's Melanoma Research Center of Excellence played a pivotal role in bringing the drug combination to patients. Dr. Jeffrey S. Weber, the center's director, commented:

“A clinical trial in which Moffitt was the major contributor showed a 76 percent success rate for patients treated with the Mekinist and Tafinlar combination. We also found this therapy reduced the incidence and severity of some of the toxic effects patients experienced when the drugs were used alone."

The combination has widely been referred to as one of the biggest steps forward in melanoma treatment in the last 30 years.